U.S. patent number 9,186,127 [Application Number 13/108,427] was granted by the patent office on 2015-11-17 for ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and method of controlling output of ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.. The grantee listed for this patent is Dae Young Kim, Tae-Yun Kim, Sandstrom Kurt, Soo Hwan Shin. Invention is credited to Dae Young Kim, Tae-Yun Kim, Sandstrom Kurt, Soo Hwan Shin.
United States Patent |
9,186,127 |
Kurt , et al. |
November 17, 2015 |
Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and method of controlling output of
ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
Abstract
Provided is a method of controlling voltage levels of overall
outputs in a combinational mode, in an ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus that may operate in the combinational mode. A judging
unit of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus may judge whether at
least a part of individual modes included in the combinational mode
exceeds a threshold determined by safety standards, in accordance
with an inputted overall output voltage level control command. When
it is judged that at least the part of the individual modes exceeds
the threshold determined by the safety standards, an output control
unit may maintain an individual output with respect to the at least
the part, among the voltage levels that may be outputted from a
transducer, to be below the threshold, so that the individual
output may be below the standards in accordance with the overall
output control command.
Inventors: |
Kurt; Sandstrom (Seoul,
KR), Kim; Dae Young (Chuncheon-si, KR),
Shin; Soo Hwan (Seoul, KR), Kim; Tae-Yun (Seoul,
KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kurt; Sandstrom
Kim; Dae Young
Shin; Soo Hwan
Kim; Tae-Yun |
Seoul
Chuncheon-si
Seoul
Seoul |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
KR
KR
KR
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.
(Hongcheon-Gun, Gangwon-Do, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
46577904 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/108,427 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120197122 A1 |
Aug 2, 2012 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 31, 2011 [KR] |
|
|
10-2011-0009323 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
8/467 (20130101); A61B 8/465 (20130101); A61B
8/54 (20130101); A61B 8/56 (20130101); A61B
8/585 (20130101); G01S 7/5205 (20130101); A61B
8/4444 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
8/00 (20060101); A61B 17/00 (20060101); A61B
5/00 (20060101); G01S 7/52 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;600/443,438,437
;604/22 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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101601594 |
|
Dec 2009 |
|
CN |
|
1693004 |
|
Aug 2006 |
|
EP |
|
2004-201714 |
|
Jul 2004 |
|
JP |
|
2005-058332 |
|
Mar 2005 |
|
JP |
|
2005-334197 |
|
Dec 2005 |
|
JP |
|
2009-160401 |
|
Jul 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2009-261800 |
|
Nov 2009 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
International Search Report and Written Opinion thereof issued in
International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2011/009151 dated Jun.
20, 2012. cited by applicant .
First Office Action dated Nov. 3, 2014 issued in Japanese Patent
Application No. 201180066513.7 (English translation). cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Le; Long V
Assistant Examiner: Bor; Helene
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus that operates in a
combinational mode including a first mode and other modes, the
apparatus simultaneously providing a plurality of outputs of pulses
having voltage levels corresponding to the first mode and the other
modes using transducers in the combinational mode, the apparatus
comprising: an output control unit configured to control the
voltage levels of the plurality of outputs of individual pulses
corresponding to the first mode and the other modes; a user
interface (UI) configured to receive an output value control
command to increase overall voltage levels of the plurality of
outputs of the pulses corresponding to the first mode and the other
modes from a user; a judging unit configured to judge whether the
output value control command enables each of the voltage levels of
the plurality of outputs corresponding to the first mode and the
other modes to exceed a threshold determined by safety standards
with respect to the first mode and the other modes, wherein: when
the judging unit judges that the output value control command does
not enable the voltage levels of the plurality of outputs
corresponding to the first mode and the other modes to exceed
thresholds, the output control unit is configured to increase the
voltage levels of the plurality of outputs corresponding to the
first mode and the other modes based on the output value control
command, when the judging unit judges that the output value control
command enables a voltage level of an output corresponding to the
first mode to exceed a threshold and does not enable voltage levels
of outputs corresponding to the other modes to exceed thresholds,
the output control unit is configured to maintain the voltage level
of the output corresponding to the first mode to be below the
threshold and to increase the voltage levels of the outputs
corresponding to the other modes based on the output value control
command, and when the judging unit judges that the output value
control command enables the voltage levels of the plurality of
outputs corresponding to the first mode and the other modes to
exceed thresholds, the output control unit is configured to
maintain the voltage levels of the plurality of outputs
corresponding to the first mode and the other modes to be below the
thresholds.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combinational mode is
selected from the group consisting of a B+pD mode, a B+CD mode, and
a B+pD+CD mode.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output value control
command increases voltages of the overall outputs of the transducer
corresponding to the combinational mode, or lowers the voltages of
the overall outputs of the transducer corresponding to the
combinational mode, by a percentage unit.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the UI comprises: a first
output control interface corresponding to each of a plurality of
modes included in the combinational mode: and a second output
control interface to adjust overall outputs of the plurality of the
modes.
5. The apparatus of claim I, wherein the first mode corresponds to
a B mode, and the safety standards with respect to the first mode
correspond to a mechanical index (MI).
6. A method of controlling an output of an ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus that operates in a combinational mode including a first
mode and other modes, the apparatus simultaneously providing a
plurality of outputs of pulses having voltage levels corresponding
to the first mode and the other modes using transducers in the
combinational mode, the method comprising: receiving, by a user
interface (UI) of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, an output
value control command to increase overall voltage levels of the
plurality of outputs of the pulses corresponding to the first mode
and the other modes from a user; judging, by a judging unit of the
ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, whether the output value control
command enables each of the voltage levels of the plurality of
outputs corresponding to the first mode and the other modes to
exceed a threshold determined by safety standards with respect to
the first mode and the other modes; and controlling, by an output
control unit of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, the voltage
levels of the plurality of outputs of individual pulses
corresponding to the first mode and the other modes, wherein the
controlling the voltage levels of the plurality of outputs
comprises: when it is judged that the output value control command
does not enable the voltage levels of the plurality of outputs
corresponding to the first mode and the other modes to exceed
thresholds, increasing the voltage levels of the plurality of
outputs corresponding to the first mode and the other modes based
on the output value control command, when it is judged that the
output value control command enables a voltage level of an output
corresponding to the first mode to exceed a threshold and does not
enable voltage levels of outputs corresponding to the other modes
to exceed thresholds, maintaining the voltage level of the output
corresponding to the first mode to be below the threshold and
increasing the voltage levels of the outputs corresponding to the
other modes based on the output value control command, and when it
is judged that the output value control command enables the voltage
levels of the plurality of outputs corresponding to the first mode
and the other modes to exceed thresholds, maintaining the voltage
levels of the plurality of outputs corresponding to the first mode
and the other modes to be below the thresholds.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the combinational mode is
selected from the group consisting of a B+pD mode, a B+CD mode, and
a B+pD+CD mode.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the output value control command
increases voltages of the overall outputs of the transducer
corresponding to the combinational mode, or lowers the voltages of
the overall outputs of the transducer corresponding to the
combinational mode, by a percentage unit.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising: providing, by the UI,
an output control interface corresponding to each of a plurality of
modes included in the combinational mode, and the output control
interface to adjust overall outputs of the plurality of the modes,
in advance of receiving the output value control command.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mode corresponds to a
B mode, and the safety standards with respect to the first mode
correspond to a mechanical index (MI).
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application
No. 10-2011-0009323, filed on Jan. 31, 2011, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus,
and more particularly, to a method of effectively controlling an
acoustic output of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus by setting an
individual output in a combinational mode that may provide at least
two pulser output signals in accordance with safety standards, such
as a mechanical index (MI), a thermal index (TI), and the like,
which may be determined by international regulatory standards, for
example National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA),
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is an apparatus for transmitting,
from the surface of a body of an object, an ultrasonic wave signal
toward a predetermined structure inside the body, and for obtaining
an image with respect to a cross section of soft tissues or a blood
flow using information of the ultrasonic wave signal reflected from
the tissues of the body.
This ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus has advantages of a small size,
a low cost, a real-time display, and a high stability without
exposing patients and users to X-ray radiation and the like, and
thus, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is widely used along with
other diagnostic imaging systems such as an X-ray diagnosis
equipment, a computerized tomography (CT) scanner, a magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, a nuclear medicine diagnosis
equipment, and the like.
Generally, an acoustic output of an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
is limited and determined by international standards, for example,
a mechanical index (MI). Here, the MI corresponds to an index that
may quantize effects of mechanical factors, which an ultrasonic
wave may have, on a human body. As another example of the
international standards, there also exists a thermal index (TI). As
is commonly known, the international permissible standards for the
MI and the TI may correspond to an MI of less than 1.9 and a TI of
less than 6.0.
The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus may diagnose an object more
precisely by increasing a transmission voltage of a pulser and
consequently an acoustic output. When the transmission voltage is
increased, quality of an image may become higher. However, a
problem may occur in that values of items of the safety standards
such as the MI, the TI, and the like may proportionally
increase.
The high values of the items may indicate that the ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus may have a greater effect on the human body,
and accordingly the use of the corresponding ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus may be limited by the international standards when the
values are greater than a predetermined level.
The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus may operate in several modes,
such as a brightness (B) mode, a power Doppler (pD) mode, and the
like, and may also operate in combinational modes, such as a B+pD
mode or a B+pD+CD mode according to a choice of a user. The CD mode
may refer to a color Doppler mode.
In the combinational modes, pulses having at least two levels of
voltage outputs may be outputted, and the outputted voltage may be
needed to be controlled so that an individual voltage output may be
within international regulatory standards.
SUMMARY
An aspect of the present invention provides a method of controlling
an output of an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, and the ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus by the method, with respect to the output of
the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus that may operate in a
combinational mode, so that an overall power may be controlled, and
an individual output level may satisfy international regulatory
standards.
Another aspect of the present invention also provides an ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus that may enhance convenience of a user by
efficiently providing a user interface (UI) in order to control an
output in a combinational mode.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus that may operate in a
combinational mode and may simultaneously provide voltage levels of
a plurality of outputs using a transducer, including a UI to
receive an output value control command with respect to all of the
plurality of the outputs, a judging unit to judge whether the
output value control command corresponds to a command that may
enable the voltage levels of the outputs corresponding to a first
mode, included in the combinational mode, to exceed a threshold
determined by safety standards with respect to the first mode, and
an output control unit to maintain the outputs corresponding to the
first mode to be below the threshold, and to perform an output
control based on the output value control command with respect to
other outputs included in the combinational mode excluding the
first mode, when the output value control command corresponds to a
value that may enable the voltage levels of the outputs
corresponding to the first mode to exceed the threshold deter mined
by the safety standards with respect to the first mode.
The combinational mode may correspond to any one of a brightness
(B)+power Doppler (pD) mode, a B+color Doppler (CD) mode, and a
B+pD+CD mode.
In this instance, the output value control command either may
increase voltages of the overall outputs of the transducer
corresponding to the combinational mode, or may lower the voltages
of the overall outputs of the transducer corresponding to the
combinational mode, by a percentage unit.
Also, the UI may include an output control interface corresponding
to each of a plurality of modes included in the combinational mode,
and an output control interface to adjust overall outputs of the
plurality of the modes.
The first mode may correspond to a B mode, and the safety standards
with respect to the first mode may correspond to a mechanical index
(MI).
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a method of controlling an output of an ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus that may operate in a combinational mode, and may
simultaneously provide voltage levels of a plurality of outputs
using a transducer, including receiving, by a UI of the ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus, an output value control command with respect
to all of the plurality of the outputs, judging, by a judging unit
of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, whether the output value
control command corresponds to a command that may enable the
voltage levels of the outputs corresponding to a first mode,
included in the combinational mode, to exceed a threshold
determined by safety standards with respect to the first mode, and
maintaining, by an output control unit of the ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus, the outputs corresponding to the first mode to be below
the threshold, and performing an output control based on the output
value control command with respect to other outputs included in the
combinational mode excluding the first mode, when the output value
control command corresponds to a value that may enable the voltage
levels of the outputs corresponding to the first mode to exceed the
threshold determined by the safety standards with respect to the
first mode.
When the user controls the output of the ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus that may be operating in the combinational mode, in a
case of increasing overall outputs, an automatic output control may
be performed to maintain an individual output to be below a
threshold determined by international regulatory standards, such as
the MI, and the like so that safety of the diagnosis apparatus may
be secured while the user controls the diagnosis apparatus to
improve image quality.
Also, an efficient UI for an output control may be provided so that
convenience of the user may be secured when the user controls the
output for a medical reason.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and/or other aspects, features, and advantages of the
invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from
the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface
(UI) provided for an output control in an ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of a UI provided
for an output control in an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another example of a UI provided
for an output control in an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another example of a UI provided
for an output control in an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an
output of an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. Exemplary embodiments are described below
to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus
100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 may selectively provide
combinational modes as well as a single mode. For example, the
combinational modes may include a brightness (B)+power Doppler (pD)
mode, a B+color Doppler (CD) mode, and a B+pD+CD mode, and the
like. In these combinational modes, voltage levels of outputs
having at least two patterns may be simultaneously provided.
According to the U.S. FDA 510K guidance, and the like with respect
to international regulatory standards for safety of an ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus, an output of the ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus may be prohibited from exceeding a maximum permissible
value of the output according to predetermined safety
standards.
For example, a mechanical index (MI) in a B mode may be needed to
be maintained below 1.9.
However, a user of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 may
desire to increase image quality of a diagnosis image that may be
provided by the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100, or to increase
an acoustic output of a transducer by increasing a voltage output
of a pulser for other medical purposes.
When the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 is operating in an
individual mode such as the B mode, the user may easily adjust the
output level within the standards since the adjustment of the
output level may be compared with standards for an individual
output, such as the MI.
Conversely, when the user desires to increase overall output levels
in a combinational mode, a problem may occur in that outputs in the
individual mode, that is, the outputs corresponding to the B mode
may exceed the standards with respect to the MI.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a case that
the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 operates in the
combinational mode, even when the user may increase an output
through an overall output control, each output of individual
pulsers may be to controlled to be below a threshold of the
acoustic output with respect to each individual mode.
Meanwhile, the output of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 may
be an acoustic output, however, the output control according to an
embodiment of the present invention may also be construed as a
control of an output voltage for controlling the acoustic output in
the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100. Accordingly, unless
otherwise mentioned, hereinafter the present invention should be
construed as not being limited to controlling only the acoustic
output of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100.
Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described
on the assumption that the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 may
operate in the B+pD mode. However, the present invention should not
be construed as being limited to this B+pD mode. Instead, it would
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made
to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is
defined by the claims and their equivalents.
Furthermore, although the MI has been described as an example of
the international regulatory standards with respect to an
ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, an equivalent principle may be
applicable to any other international regulatory standards, such as
a TI, and the like. Accordingly, changes may be made to these
exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and
spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the
claims and their equivalents.
It may be assumed that the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 may
operate in the B+pD mode, and a current overall output may
correspond to 50%. The overall output of 50% may be a default value
from factory that may be set with respect to the ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus 100.
In the case of the overall output of 50%, a B/M power may be set to
20%, and a C/D power may be set to 30%.
Here, an output control command to increase the overall output by
1.5 dB to approximately 70% may be received from the user.
Then, a judging unit 120 may judge whether each of the B/M power
and the C/D power exceeds a maximum permissible value, that is, a
threshold determined by safety standards, according to the received
output control command, before an output control unit 130 may
control an output of a transducer 140.
When the overall output is increased by 1.5 dB, the BIM power may
be increased from 20% to 28%, and the C/D power may be increased
from 30% to 42%. Here, neither the B/M power nor the C/D power may
exceed the threshold determined by the safety standards.
The threshold may have a different value with respect to each mode.
For example, the threshold with respect to the B/M power may be
determined to be 32%. The threshold may be set in association with
the maximum permissible value of 1.9 dB of the MI with respect to
the B mode.
In a state where the B/M power may have increased to 28%, and the
C/D power may have increased to 42%, the overall output increase
command by 1.0 dB may be received again from the user using a user
interface (UI) 110. The increase in the overall output by 1.0 dB
may correspond to an increase in the overall output to
approximately 89%.
Then, the judging unit 120 may judge again whether each of the B/M
power and the C/D power exceeds the set threshold, according to the
overall output increase command.
However, since the current B/M power may correspond to 28% and the
maximum permissible value, that is, the threshold may be determined
to 32%, the B/M power may exceed the threshold when there is an
increase in the overall output by 1.0 dB.
Since the B/M power may be 32% by the output increase by 0.6 dB,
and may be equivalent to the threshold, the judging unit 120 may
judge that the currently inputted increase in the overall output by
1.0 dB may be impermissible.
Then, the output control unit 130 may increase the B/M power by 0.6
dB to fix the B/M power to 32%, and may increase the C/D power by
1.32 dB, which may be greater than 1.0 dB, to increase the C/D
power to 57%.
The overall output may be increased to 89% whereas the B/M power
may be fixed to 32%, which may be below the threshold, and the C/D
power may be increased to 57%.
In this instance, the overall output increase command to increase
the overall output to 100% may be received again from the user,
using the UI 110.
When the overall output is increased to 100%, the judging unit 120
may judge that the output may be impossible to be further increased
with respect to the B/M power that may already have reached the
threshold of 32%.
The, the output control unit 130 may maintain the fixed B/M power
of 32%, and may increase the C/D power to 68%, that is, by about
0.77 dB.
Then, the overall output may correspond to 100%, and also neither
the B/M power nor the C/D power may exceed the threshold determined
by the safety standards.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is also
provided interfaces that may control outputs with respect to each
individual mode, that is, each of the B/M power and the C/D power,
as well as an overall output control interface, using the UI
110.
When the user judges that an output of the B/M power of
approximately 20% may be sufficient, and desires to increase the
C/D power to improve image quality, the user may input a command to
lower the B/M power to 20% using an individual output control
interface with respect to the B/M power.
When the output control command to lower the B/M power to 20% is
received using the UI 110, the judging unit 120 may judge whether
the maximum permissible threshold with respect to the safety
standards may be exceeded even when the individual output, that is,
the C/D power is increased to 80%.
When the judging unit 120 judges that the output may be below the
maximum permissible threshold with respect to the safety standards,
the output control unit 130 may lower the BIM power to 20% and
increase the C/D power to 80%, by automatically controlling the
transducer 140. In this instance, the C/D power may be additionally
increased by approximately 0.71 dB.
As aforementioned in the foregoing embodiment, the permissible
standards for each of the powers corresponding to the individual
modes may be maintained to be below the threshold by adjusting the
voltage levels of the outputs of the transducer 140.
However, according to another embodiment of the present invention,
it may be possible to adjust an output frame of an individual
mode.
For example, in the case that the B/M power of 32% and the C/D
power of 68% are maintained, when the user desires to increase the
C/D power, the output control unit 130 may lower an output frame of
the B/M mode, or a duty cycle, thereby perfoiming an adjustment
similar to the aforementioned embodiment.
In the UI 110, there may be simultaneously provided an interface
that may control overall outputs, and interfaces that may control
individual outputs, during a combinational mode operation. However,
when the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus 100 operates in a single
mode, only the interface that may control the overall outputs may
be provided, and the interfaces that may control the individual
outputs may not be provided since the overall output control may
correspond to an individual output control, in an operation of the
single mode, that is, the B mode operation.
The examples with respect to providing the output control of the UI
110 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 5.
Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown
and described, various changes may be made to graphical
configurations, and other multiple factors unrelated to the spirit
of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram 200 illustrating an example of a user interface
(UI) provided for an output control in an ultrasonic diagnosis
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
There may be provided an acoustic output manager load 210, and may
be also provided menus corresponding to default settings 220, a TI
display toggle 230, an output power adjustment 240, a contrast
agent support 250, and output control schemes 260, as
sub-menus.
The default settings 220 may set an output level to a default as
described above.
The TI display toggle 230 may perform toggles, such as TIb, TIs,
TIc, and the like, and there may be provided a UI load 241 for
output power adjustment, in the output power adjustment 240, which
will be further described with reference to FIG. 3.
Also, in the contrast agent support 250, there may be provided a
setting UI load 251 according to a contrast agent, which will be
further described with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 3 is a diagram 300 illustrating another example of a user
interface (UI) provided for an output control in an ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
In FIG. 2, when the UI load 241 for the output power adjustment is
selected, a Graph User Interface (GUI) may be provided as
illustrated in the diagram 300.
The user may adjust an overall output to be within a range of below
100%, using an interface 310. A processing procedure in case of
receiving a command to increase the overall output, or to lower the
overall output using the interface 310 may be similar as described
with reference to FIG. 1.
During a combinational mode operation, all of interfaces 321
through 323, or a part of the interfaces 321 through 323 may be
selectively provided. Then, the user may control an individual
output using the interfaces 321 through 323.
FIG. 4 is a diagram 400 illustrating another example of a user
interface (UI) provided for an output control in an ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
There may be provided an MI map that may graphically indicate an MI
with respect to a current operation, by an interface 401.
The user may separately adjust a Low MI, a Flash MI, and the like
using interfaces 410 through 430, in response to a contrast agent,
and may also control an output frame or a duty cycle as
aforementioned with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 illustrating another example of a user
interface (UI) provided for an output control in an ultrasonic
diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
There may be provided a return interface 511, and an exit interface
512 for toggling interfaces in an area 510, and there may be
provided a TI display interface 521, a contrast agent page
interface 522, and a default setting page interface 523 in an area
520.
The portion with respect to the TI display, provided in a toggle
form in FIG. 3, may be currently provided as a selective button
interface 521.
In an area 530, there may be provided interfaces 531 through 533
for enabling the overall output adjustment or the individual output
adjustment that have been described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an
output of an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
In operation 610, an overall output adjustment command may be
received using the UI 110. Then, the judging unit 120 may first
judge whether a current mode corresponds to a combinational
mode.
In a case that the current mode corresponds to a single mode
instead of the combinational mode, the UI 100 may provide only an
interface with respect to an overall output control, without
providing an interface with respect to an individual output
control.
In the case of the single mode, the output control unit 130 may
perform an adjustment of a single power in operation 650.
When the current mode is judged to correspond to the combinational
mode in operation 610, the judging unit 120 may judge whether
individual powers, for example, a B/M power, and the like may reach
a permissible threshold with respect to safety standards, by the
received overall output control command, in operation 620.
When there is an item of the individual power that may have reached
the threshold, the output control unit 130 may limit the item,
which may have reached the threshold, to be a value below the
threshold, and may also adjust an output of the transducer 140 to
satisfy the overall output control command with respect to other
items only, in operation 640.
When there is no item of the individual power that may have reached
the threshold in operation 620, the output control unit 130 may
adjust outputs of overall items to satisfy the received overall
output control command, in operation 630.
The detailed examples of the method of controlling the output may
be similar to the above-described method, with reference to FIG.
1.
The above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention
may be recorded in computer-readable media including program
instructions to implement various operations embodied by a
computer. The media may also include, alone or in combination with
the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the
like. Examples of computer-readable media include magnetic media
such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media
such as CD ROM discs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as
optical discs; and hardware devices that are specially configured
to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory
(ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like.
Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as
produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that
may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described
hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software
modules in order to perform the operations of the above-described
exemplary embodiments of the present invention, or vice versa.
Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, the present invention is not limited to
the described exemplary embodiments. Instead, it would be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to
these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles
and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the
claims and their equivalents.
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